Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay GM Toolkit Review

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(More customer reviews)This is my first Amazon review...I usually can't be bothered with commenting on these things, but I do rely on the reviews of others to help me decide when I'm on the fence about a certain purchase...so, since I was so impressed with this product, I thought I'd share.
First off, I wouldn't call myself an FFG fanboy. I do, however, find that the quality of their products is consistently top-notch. As far as durability is concerned, I disagree with the previous reviewer's opinion on this. I don't feel that the packaging should drop the the rating that much. If you have already purchased the Core box set, the contents of this kit will fit in that box nicely. The first adventure module published and sold for this RPG (A Gathering Storm) is packaged exactly the same way as the GM toolkit. Also, the GM screen is worth the price of this kit alone. The artwork on it is amazing, there are all the rules summaries as well as a rules index on the GM side, and its not made of flimsy card. I did dock them slightly on durability due to the book being in soft-cover format.
Second, I am fairly new to RPG's. I played Dungeons and Dragons when I was about 12 years old, about 20 years ago now. I was drawn to this game because of the publisher's (Fantasy Flight Games) reputation and because of the world setting (I play Warhammer Fantasy Battles table top miniatures game by Games Workshop).
The pros...
-Great advice on creating original story arcs using classic story telling themes.
-Advice on story "hooks" (getting the players to bite).
-New concepts of Nemisis NPCs and NPC party sheets.
-Full color high quality printing and inspiring artwork.
-Pages of "alternate rules" suggestions on how to change up some of the core mechanics slightly to suit your groups' play style.
-Advice on new and helpful ways to use the "progress tracks" to aid in story development and .
-More standups.
-Awesome GM screen....man FFG knocked it out of the park with this one.
The cons...
-The book is about the size of one of the 4 books in the Core set (actually it's a little thin, more like the size of the tome of mysteries, or tome of Blessings), which is suitable for the price (esp. here on Amazon) but it left me wanting more, especially as a new GM.
-The book is soft cover, so wont stand up to abuse as much as a hardcover...though, to be fair, all the books in the core set and the one expansion adventure I picked up are the same. I think this just keeps them more affordable.
-I feel like this could have been included with the core set, perhaps as part of the "Tome of Adventure" but FFG is trying to make the most of their GW license here, and "expansion sets" are a big part of their business model.
Even if you are a veteran GM, the advice in this book could inspire you to step out of your established comfort zone and try a new story telling technique/formula. I think it's a great buy at Amazon.com as I purchased it at retail plus CA sales tax at my local game store. Amazon had not yet discounted this product when I decided to get it. Ultimately, I gave it 4 out of 5 stars due to how thin the book was. I think FFG could have packed a little more content in there for their suggested retail price.
Looking forward to the "Winds of Magic" expansion, hopefully Amazon will offer some sort of discount off of it's $50 price tag.

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FFGWHF05 Game Masters Toolkit Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Game by Fantasy Flight Games The Game Masters Toolkit for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is a valuable resource for both new and veteran Game Masters. The toolkit is filled with a number of helpful tools and adventure seeds for Game Masters to enhance their Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay games, as well as provides more advice and suggestions to help refine their GM skills and get the most out of the materials and rules provided with the game. Featuring a large two-sided screen with rule summaries and a wealth of information, the Game Masters Toolkit also includes punchboard with more NPC and creature standups and tokens, a variety of new location and item cards, and introduces organisation sheets to integrate into your game. Armed with the resources found in the Gamemaster+s Toolkit, a GM will always be ready for action!

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A Game of Thrones LCG: Kings of The Sea Expansion Review

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(More customer reviews)One of my favorite decks - a great pick up. Goes really nice with the "Seasons" related chapter packs.

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FFGGOT49 Kings of the Sea Expansion A Game of Thrones Card Game LCG by Fantasy Flight Games The Iron Fleet has gathered near the rugged and windswept Isle of Pyke. House Greyjoy means not only to claim independence for the Iron Isles, but to take the wrath of the sea to the shores of Westeros itself. To show its green-blooded nobles the power of salt and iron. To once more make them fear the sails of the Great Kraken. In the Kings of the Sea expansion, House Greyjoy makes its true mark on the A Game of Thrones The Card Game. This 60 card expansion provides the cards you will need to make House Greyjoy decks a reaving force to be feared. Included, among others, are Euron Crows Eye, Aeron Damphair, Asha, Theon, and Balon Greyjoy, beloved characters from author George R.R. Martins+ A Song of Ice and Fire. With them comes a wealth of new strategies, tactics, and deck-building options. The Kings of the Sea expansion also features the beautifully sculpted Arms of the Kraken resin house card, as well as The Kingsmoot, a multiplayer variant in which players compete for the support of the Iron Isles chieftains. This is not a stand-alone game; an A Game of Thrones The Card Game Core Set is required to play.

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A Game of Thrones: A Storm of Swords Expansion Review

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(More customer reviews)The third expansion to the Game of Thrones Board Game empire brings two things to the base game but still leaves something out. The most important element it leaves out is pieces to play the game with. You are required to have the main Game of Thrones set to play this expansion. For what its worth, the base set is worth having if you are a fan of strategy and military games like Risk and Diplomacy. That said, the things it does bring are fantastic!
Most importantly, this set brings a stand alone board that can be played with the pieces from the main set. The rules for the new board are the same as that of the main set with a few new additions. The board is focused on the riverlands of Westeros (the world the stories and game takes place) during the rainstorms that flooded the region in the novel of the same name. The storm marker changes the travel paths and adds a new dimension to the overall play as players are forced to adapt to routes that may be there one turn and gone the next.
The set introduces one new game mechanic in strategy cards that are selected and played during the opening phase of your turn. Strategy cards have a number of effects that range from one time claims to give you points towards your victory condition, forge alliances, rescue hostages, and more. The addition of strategy cards adds a dimension to the game that forces players to fight. The victory conditions set forth by the cards are often only resolved by some form of conflict (rescue mission, victory point cards, assault, etc).
This set also brings allies (played using the Tyrell pieces since the player set caps at four [Stark, Greyjoy, Lannister, and Barratheon]) to the fold. Alliances can be forged between the mercenaries, Frey, and Arryn by playing certain strategy cards during the opening phase of your turn. The prior set (A Clash of Kings) supplied generals that could take to the field. This set allows the generals to be captured and even executed. Once a general has been sentenced to die, their card is removed from the generals deck, reducing yout opponents combat effectiveness. Players also have the option of negotiating for their release or even staging a rescue mission via specific strategy card.
As with Clash of Kings, this set's components can be added to the base set (execution cards, new generals, alternate wildling deck, etc) in any combination, completely, or not at all. If this review were just on what it brings to the base game, the score would be half of what it is but since it comes with a completely new board game the score is what you see here. I strongly reccommend this set for fans of the game but, for those that have never played the original, you must still start there before playing this one.

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A Storm of Swords is the second expansion to A Game of Thrones: The Board Game!

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Red November Review

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(More customer reviews)I played this game for the first time a few months ago, and enjoyed it so much that I bought it at a local game shop the next day. The game accommodates 2 to 8 players, and the game dynamics adjust along with the number of players.
As someone who enjoys Risk and Monopoly, this game appeared complicated at first, but after playing it became much more intuitive.
As opposed to most board games, where players compete to reach a specific goal, Red November requires all players to cooperate in escaping a doomed submarine. Over the course of the game, pressure in the sub rises, fires start, Krakens attack and floods fill various rooms. Players are equipped with tools that help them overcome the challenges and rescue friends in danger.
Reading through the rulebook might intimidate some players to start, but after playing through a few turns, the game mechanics become much more intuitive. Plus, if even one player has played before, he or she can help guide new players as everyone is working together.
The board itself is made of thick cardboard, the pieces are all well made, the instruction book is pretty clearly written, and the artwork throughout is unique and humorous.
Overall, the game is absolutely worth your time and money. If you are willing to invest a half-hour reading the rules and have a bit of patience when starting out, you will have an absolute blast.
Pros:
- Players work together to escape the submarine. This helps new players adjust easily and keeps every player interested across everybody's turn.
- The physical board and pieces are well-made and durable.
- Most games are over in less than an hour
Cons:
- May be a little bit intimidating to start.

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Have you ever wondered what happens when you put Gnomes, submarines, grog, and a Kraken together? You will finally know the answer to this burning question inRed November! Red November, an original game by Bruno Faidutti and Jef Gontier, is a cooperative race against the clock. Players assume the role of gnomish adventurers trapped inside of a doomed submarine. As players move their gnomes around the board, more and more fires, floods, and reactor failures pop up all over the ship. To make matter's worse, there's a hungry kraken outside the porthole looking for an easy meal! Gnomes must extinguish the fires, pump out the flooded rooms, shut down the nuclear reactor and keep the submarine intact until help arrives. Players must guide their gnomes to tools capable of fixing the problem or have their gnomes down a bottle of grog to work up some liquid courage and avoid disaster! Red November is for 2-8 players, ages 12+ and takes about 1-2 hours to play. Red November contains: Gameboard, 8 Gnome cards, 8 Gnome pawns, event cards, item tiles, and rules.

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Call of Cthulhu LCG Asylum Pack: The Antediluvian Dreams Review

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(More customer reviews)All of the expansion decks are excellent and add to the overall playabiltiy and re-playability of the core set. The card quality is excellent and better than some of the more popular collectable card games.

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FFGCT21 Call of Cthulhu The Antediluvian Dreams Asylum Pack Deck Living Card Game LCG by Fantasy Flight Games The Summons of the Deep expansion to the Call of Cthulhu Living Card Game continues with its third monthly Asylum Pack of 40 fixed cards, The Antediluvian Dreams. It contains 20 different never-before-seen cards that place a newfound emphasis on the Combat struggle, designed to augment existing decks and add variety to the Call of Cthulhu metagame.This is not a standalone deck; you must have additional Call of Cthulhu LCG cards to play.

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Cosmic Encounter Review

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(More customer reviews)Cosmic Encounter was first created by an obscure, small-run publisher. In 1977.
Fantasy Flight is the game's fourth publisher.
That alone should tell you how much this game rocks. Any other game would have died off by now.
Thankfully, Fantasy Flight Games has been buying up licenses to out-of-print classics and re-releasing them using their high production values.
The result is an immensely satisfying game that should bring a smile to hard-core Cosmic fans and newcomers alike.
The basic premise of Cosmic is that each player assumes the role of an alien civilization and tries to land their ships on five different planets belonging to other players.
The core mechanic of the game ([total ships on each side + a numeric card], highest total wins the encounter) is easy to understand, yet has endless possibilities for tactics, diplomacy, or out-and-out strangeness.
By far the two strongest aspects of this game's offense vs. defense encounter are these:
1) Allies: No matter whose turn it is, any player has the opportunity to be involved in the current encounter. None of this "is it my turn?" monotony of other games. You always have something to do. "Do I risk getting involved?" "Can I afford to help defend?"
The opportunities for diplomacy/negotiation are endless - and the ally rules ensure that nobody is a wall-flower.
2) Random destiny: In the vast majority of encounters - who attacks who is determined randomly. This does not adversely affect tactics and (more importantly) cuts down on hurt feelings. While there are plenty of ways to mess with other players, when you do get attacked - the game's mechanic is to blame.
Any true fan of this game loves the endless variety it offers - each player has an alien power that allows them to break the rules in a limited way. Different powers will collide in unique ways and since there are 50 different alien powers you are unlikely to see the same combinations twice.
Example 1: the normal rules say players start with four ships on each of their planets, but the alien called Macron has all of their ships count as 4 ships. so attacking a Macron planet, you find yourself facing the equivalent of 16 ships instead of 4. Advantage: Macron.
Example 2: the normal rules say that in an encounter, the side with the highest total (ships + encounter card) wins. The alien called Anti-Matter reverses this - and so when Anti-Matter is attacking or defending, the lowest total wins.
Combine those two examples and you have Anti-Matter attacking the Macrons with one ship while the Macrons are wishing their ships were like everyone else's.
And the craziness just goes on from there - that's barely a taste of the variety you will see when you play.
Component wise - FF has done us all a solid. Plastic flying saucer pieces that stack, quality cardboard pieces with gorgeous art, special cards with instructional text (helping new players and veterans alike).
Cosmic was always a game that begged to be supplemented and FF has provided a good jumping off point (50 aliens, instead of the 100+ that existed in earlier versions).
Expansions are undoubtedly in the works - and the components have been built to support this. The destiny cards have special graphics for Hazards (which are not in this game) - and the planet tokens have a different graphic on each side, something that will doubtless support some diabolical new rule whenever FF gets around to publishing expansion #1.
The sticker price is daunting - and I hope new players aren't put off by it too much. This is a game that is well made and a lot of fun - it's worth the money. Players who are afraid of lots of rules should not be afraid of Cosmic, but they should be aware that the rules as written will almost always mutate in bizarre (and entertaining) ways.
E.g. Players are allowed to "Cosmic Zap" or negate a player's power. In the example I gave earlier (Anti matter vs. Macron) the enterprising Macron player who finds themselves losing by ten or so will Cosmic Zap themselves (changing their ship total from 16 to 4) and allowing them to score less than Anti-Matter - and therefore win. The Anti-Matter player (if they were especially fiendish and had the card) would also zap their own power (making the lower total a losing total) and would win because their total was now higher than Macron's total!
Bizarre - but fun! When was the last time a boardgame surprised you?
Cosmic will show you something new in pretty much every session.

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Build a galactic empire...In the depths of space, the alien races of the Cosmos vie with each other for control of the universe. Alliances form and shift from moment to moment, while cataclysmic battles send starships screaming into the warp. Players choose from dozens of alien races, each with its own unique power to further its efforts to build an empire that spans the galaxy. Many classic aliens from earlier editions of this beloved game return, such as the Oracle, the Loser, and the Clone. Newly discovered aliens also join the fray, including Remora, Mite, and Tick-Tock. This classic game of alien politics returns from the warp once more. It features 50 alien races, flare cards to boost their powers, 100 plastic ships, a host of premium components, and all-new tech cards that let players research and build extraordinary technological marvels! No two games are the same! Cosmic Encounter includes: Rulebook, 1 Warp, 5 Player Colony Markers, 1 Hyperspace Gate, 25 Player Planets (5 per player), 100 Plastic Ships (20 per player), 50 Alien Sheets, 20 Destiny Cards, 72 Cosmic Cards, 50 Flare Cards, 40 Tech Cards, 42 Cosmic Cards, 7 Grudge Tokens, 1 Genesis Planet, 1 Lunar Cannon Token, 1 Prometheus Token, 1 Alternate Filch Flare

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Lord of the Rings Board Game Review

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(More customer reviews)When I saw only one review for this game--and a very bad review at that--I felt obligated to give my opinion so that people can make a more informed decision about purchasing this game.
Personally, I love this game and it stands out from my collection because of its co-operative game play. Instead of playing against each other, the object is to work together to beat the game (destroy the ring)--just like the Fellowship in the books/movies. In that way, it is great lesson in teamwork--for those of you interested in the educational aspect of this game (keep in mind that it's meant for ages 12 to Adult however, because of the complexity).
It's challenging in its normal game play and can be easily adjusted to further increase the difficulty. There have been many times that the game has defeated us--making victory that much more sweeter when we do win!
There are also expansion packs available for the game for when you're ready for something new. If you look at the reviews for some of the expansions (Friends & Foes, Sauron, & Battlefields), you'll see that a lot of other people really do love this game. I think it's the best game based on "The Lord of the Rings" yet.

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Your task is to stop the Dark Lord Sauron from winning back the One Ring, which Frodo Baggins has inherited, and which Sauron will use to forever enslave the land. You must journey through Middle Earth, taking on the challenges of four of the most hazardous regions of the land - Moria, Helm's Deep, Shelob's Lair and Mordor - and destroy the ring in the volcanic fires of Mount Doom. Join Frodo and his friends Merry, Pippen, Fatty, and Sam on a perilous adventure across Middle Earth, using skill and fortune to guide you while preventing the Ringbearer from becoming corrupted.Created by master designer Reiner Knizia, this innovative game follows the book closely, is fully illustrated by celebrated Tolkien artist John Howe, and won the Games Magazine Family Game of the Year award. In addition, this game is unique and original in which players must work together to defeat the game itself, a daunting task that will challenge even the most experienced players. Includes 1 Master Board, 2 double-sided Scenario Boards, 1 Sauron figure, 5 Hobbit figures, 6 markers, 60 Hobbit cards, 5 Character cards, 5 Gandalf cards, 35 feature cards, 23 square Event tiles, 11 round Life tokens, 32 shields, 1 Ring, 1 die, 1 Hall of Fame sheet, and instructions. For 2 to 5 players.A 2004 Games Magazine Games 100 honoree in the Family Strategy category.

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Call of Cthulhu LCG Asylum Pack: The Terror of the Tides Review

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(More customer reviews)This asylum pack focuses on the arcane struggle. It also has the very tough Terror of the Tides monster.

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FFGCT22 Call of Cthulhu The Terror of the Tides Asylum Pack Deck Living Card Game LCG by Fantasy Flight Games The Summons of the Deep expansion to the Call of Cthulhu Living Card Game continues with its fourth monthly Asylum Pack of 40 fixed cards, The Terror of the Tides. It contains 20 different never-before-seen cards that place a newfound emphasis on the Arcane struggle, designed to augment existing decks and add variety to the Call of Cthulhu metagame.This is not a standalone deck, you must have additional Call of Cthulhu LCG cards to play.

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Runebound: 2nd Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)'Runebound' is recent entry in the board-based fantasy adventure game market. Board-based, in this context, means players are limited to moving on a board and having adventures based on cards that are drawn after moving. (Those of you old enough to remember Games Workshop's 'Talisman' should be familiar with the concept.)
Play is relatively simple, although the first game or so will go slowly as players adjust to the system. Each player selects a hero, gets some gold, then sets to adventuring. Terrain dice are rolled to determine how players may move during their turn. Players finishing their move on a city may heal wounds, sell treasure, and buy equipment or hire allies. Players who finish their move on an encounter space may trigger a game-altering event or be given a quest, but will always have to fight a monster. Combat is fairly simple; roll the supplied dice, add the character's combat value, and see if the total beats the monster's. Defeat enough monsters and your hero collects gold and experience, which in turn enables him or her to improve his combat power. There are four levels of encounters to be fought; the player who defeats the final boss monster (or three sub-bosses) in the toughest level wins the game.
The rules are well-written and have clear examples of what players may and may not do during their turn, but care needs to be taken while reading them. I recommend players play through a few turns slowly with the rules in hand as they figure out the game.
'Runebound' also has quality components. The many cards are printed on heavy stock, the counters are made of thick cardboard, and the dice are heavy and solid. The map seems durable for the light use it should see. There are also 12 plastic miniature heroes; sadly, these aren't painted, but they do match their pictures on the hero cards.
The real beauty of the 'Runebound' system is its replayability. After playing the enclosed game a few times players may look for a new challenge. The publisher has already released expansion card sets and map sets that expand on the original adventure, and imaginative players could easily design their own adventures.
'Runebound' is a good family game; players as young as 8 could probably play the game without much difficulty. I recommend it for anyone looking for something light but fun to fill a Saturday evening.

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The world of Runebound is a magical, dangerous world of powerful wizards, noble knights, vicious monsters, and power-mad tyrants. It is a world of great quests and mighty deeds. Above all, it is a world of legendary heroes, and the time has come for you to join them"

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Beowulf, the Legend Review

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(More customer reviews)You might think this is a game of fighting and adventuring and in a way it's true. I is also a game of taking risks, auctioning and planing ahead. I honestly believe this is one of the best games on the market.

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Beowulf, the Legend, by renowned designer Reiner Knizia and featuring art by John Howe, invites you to accompany the mighty hero as one of his brave comrades. Will you become the most renowned warrior and succeed Beowulf as king? Only the strongest will prevail!

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Britannia Review

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(More customer reviews)BRITANNIA is, indeed, a difficult game to play. But that does not mean the experience will not be a pleasant one.
The dificulty arises from the fact that there are a lot of exceptions and foot notes to the rules of the game. These exceptions were clearley designed to portray history in a more accurate way and add to the flavour of the game. It works, but as a collateral effect I'd say it's almost impossible to play BRITTANIA, at least the first two or three times, without making totally inadvertent rules errors while playing.
The game was really designed with four players in mind, with three or five player it gets clearly unbalanced.Maybe it was pressure form the publisher to try to sell to a broader audience, I don't know. Anyway, this ia a personal opinion, maybe people playing with other number thatn four players will find it efficient also.
It's indeed a time consuming game. Rarely it ends before fours hours playing.
The game components are totally adequate, nothing fancy, but fundamentally operational. Game board very beautiful. Rule book is well designed and with good examples.
This is a war game through and through, but with clever and fast combat resolution mechanics (based in D6 dice) and without thousands of complicated playing pieces that keep stacking upon each other in a hexagonal board. Of course, since there are dice involved, luck plays a big part, and a whole carefully planned strategy may be destroyed by a sequence of two or three bad luck dice rolling. But you can easily regain it by good dice rolling when defending... What I say is: with a lot of battles solely resolved by dice rolling, no matter how good a strategist or historian you are, luck is a strong factor in BRITANNIA.
In general, it's no wonder it's one of the few out of print Avalon Hill games that managed to get new life with another publisher. It's exciting, gorgeous to look at and informative.

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Descent Journeys in the Dark Review

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(More customer reviews)Have sat down with friends twice now and played this game. We are all long time gamers and are familiar with fantasy flight's way of doing things which no doubt helped us learning this game. That being said, the only negative thing I can say about this game is that it takes a long time to setup, and can be slow until you have really got the rules down. Once you have a handle on how things work though, battles are fast and challenging. So far I have always been the overlord, and have enjoyed it. The heroes all seem to enjoy it as well. The same guys that complain in other games whine about the overlord being too powerful, but it really seems well balanced. I am looking forward to playing more and if we continue having fun in the long run (which I see as a very likely possibility), I will be getting the expansions as well.

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Across the land, courageous heroes delve into shadowed dungeons, journey to lost cities, and explore forgotten ruins. In the darkest corners of the world, these heroes confront deadly and terrifying monsters, including Skeletons, Hell Hounds, Giants, Demons, and Dragons. For those few who survive, the rewards are many. Victorious heroes return from the treacherous dungeons with ancient magics, bags of gold, and powerful weapons and artifacts.In Descent: Journeys in the Dark, you play one of these daring adventurers. Armed with mighty weapons and powerful abilities, you venture into the dungeon to battle monsters, escape deadly traps, discover lost treasures, and ultimately, confront and defeat the evil masters that dwell in the hidden places. Can you survive the dark?

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Dragonheart Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this for my wife for Christmas and we have played over 50 games of it since then. An average game lasts about 15 minutes and game play is quick and intuitive. Dragonheart is won by the player who accumulates the most points. Points are gained by capturing sets of cards off of the game boards through various conditions. Each card you play potentially triggers a response that can cost or gain you points based on what your opponent plays. The games ends when the third of three sets of Ships are played on the board. This relatively open ended closure is one of the strategic elements we enjoy the most. In tight games, we will quite often play through a whole deck. In games with a clear point leader, strategy shifts as the leader attempts to close the game out and the other player attempts to prolong it.
This is a great couples game, and has become one of the ways my wife and I decompress from a days worth of autistic children and busy work schedules.

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An evil wizard has placed the Great Dragon, the protector of the realm, into a stony slumber, its fiery breath locked away in a ruby jewel called the Dragonheart. With the land's guardian imprisoned, trolls and fire dragons run amuck, barely held in check by brave knights and canny huntresses. Meanwhile, enigmatic sorceresses tap the magic of the Dragonheart to their own ends. If you can bring order to these factions before your opponent does, you'll control the fate the Great Dragon... and the realm itself.Dragonheart is a quick and easy-to-learn card game for two players, playable in only 20 minutes. Players try to accumulate points by playing cards to and collecting cards from the game board. The player with the most points at the end of the game determines the fate of the Great Dragon, and the land itself.

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Twilight Imperium 3rd Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)Twilight Imperium is one of the best games I have ever played. As a student at college, my friends and have 1-2 board game nights per week; with Twilight Imperium and Acquire being the most played games. I would highly recommend this game, though the learning curve is rather steep (an hour at to learn the rules) and the game takes a long time to play (4+ hours). If you are looking for a conquest game like RISK, stop reading now. Twilight Imperium is based on maneuvering, preparation, and diplomacy with few significant battles in the game.
The game is played to victory 10 points and unlike most war games, conquest is not the only means of victory. Points are acquired through capturing planets but also "researching" technology, and political decisions. The method of determining turn order is also quite original. Each player chooses a card (1-8) which in addition to being the order in which the players play, gives each player a special ability for that round. To further add interest each card has a secondary ability which all the other players can use when the player owning the card uses it. As a result not only are broad discussion (like conquest or technology) important but every turn can be critical as the players ability to ace often depends directly on when and how the other players act. This may seem as if it would slow the game, but a restriction on how many turns a player can take per round keeps the game moving nicely but keeps strategy extremely important through out.
This is not to say I don't have a few complaints about the game. The first couple of times we played we noticed some imbalances which led to certain having a definite advantage and the game always trending in the same way. There are 3 ways to get these points. Every player can complete common objectives, a new one being revealed each turn. A player gets 2 points every time they get the 8 card, and a player has a secret objective which can be worth two points. Our problem was that everyone accomplished the same common objectives. Because the 8 is so valuable, whoever went first had to take the 8, the person on their right then always took the 1 (and so they chose first next turn), so they could get the 8 next turn. Anyone who failed to follow this pattern automatically became 2 points behind, and never could catch up. The result is that there is little strategy to taking the 8 or the 1. Finally the secret objectives vary greatly in difficulty. As a result players who got easy secret objectives, or got to go first were far more likely to win. In fact in our first 3 games (5 players), the player who went first won 2 of them, and the only player that completed his secret objective in the 3rd game, won that one. At this point we were ready to give up on the game but instead we played around with the rules and came up with a slightly variation which greatly helped improve the game. If you do buy this game I highly recommend trying this variation after playing the normal rules a couple of times.
Rule Variation:
Many of these rule variations were taken from the Twilight Imperium Rule Variations which can be found (...)
1) The 8 card's text has been modified to the Game Option: Ancient Throne which gives a player 1 point for controlling Mecatol Rex. This modification greatly increases the strategy in choosing the 8 or 1.
2) Long War Variant: Play to 14 victory points. This will be necessary due to rule change # 3.
3) A player receives 2 victory points if they capture a planet in an opponent's home system. A player may only get points for a home system once. If the owner of the home system was not in control of the planet when it was captured this is reduced to 1 point. The reason for this rule was to encourage conquest (something that was seriously lacking in our previous games). The point reduction rule is to help prevent two players from allying to take a home system (since one of the players will not get all the points).
4) Every player receives 2 secret objectives. After creating the board but before the first turn each player must choose and discard one of them. This rule helps reduce the problem of unbalanced (in terms of difficulty) secret objectives.
5) You may only complete public objectives if you control all the planets in your home system (you may complete other objectives however). This allows players to slow down a player who gets too far ahead.
6) Destroyers get 4x Anti-fighter barrage. Destroyers are the weakest units in the game; this makes them a little better, but still hardly worth using.
7) The common objectives are laid face up on the table (you may still only complete the first after the first turn, second after the second, etc). This reduces the luck involved near the end of the game, as every one knows what is coming.
8) Technology can be purchased with influence or resources (but no combination). This rule helps balance the planets so everyone has more equal resources.
These rules seem to be very effective. While most players still get all of the common objectives, winning the game now depends on controlling Mecatol Rex, completing secret objectives or taking home systems. Players have been very successful using any combination of these three methods, and no race has done better or worse than any other. While these may seem to lead to large amount of conquest, this has never been the case, with only 3-10 major battles occurring in 4 player games.


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An age of twilight shall once more spread across the galaxy. A broken empire shall once more be re-forged. Hidden powers from dark space shall come forth to make an ancient claim. War shall rage across space. Secret treaties, political whispers, and devious plots shall again echo through the halls of the imperial city on Mecatol Rex.TI3 is an epic empire-building game of interstellar conflict, trade, and struggle for power. Players take the roles of ancient galactic civilizations, each seeking to seize the imperial throne via warfare, diplomacy, and technological progression. With new oversize geomorphic board tiles, finely detailed plastic miniatures, hundreds of cards, and a massive plurality of options, TI3 will ship in a massive, epic-size box, with more than 200 masterfully sculpted oversize plastic miniatures - the typical TI units (Ground Forces, Cruisers, Dreadnaughts, Carriers, Fighters, PDS, and Space Docks) as well as two new units (the massive War Sun, and the Destroyer). TI3 contains new oversize board tiles, more than 400 cards, every known civilization of the Twilight Imperium universe, almost every expansion rule and component ever published for TI, a gorgeous graphical overhaul, and an impressive full color rules set. The TI gameplay has been refined and redone by original designer Christian T. Petersen. The new design features faster gameplay, and involves players in a far more active game experience with much less down-time. In addition, TI3 will include the new Race Cards, as well a dramatic new approach to the structure of the gameplay itself using the new Command system.Are you ready for another age of Twilight?

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Dust Review

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(More customer reviews)Risk is a classic wargame that has been around for more than 50 years, provided countless hours of entertainment for probably millions of people, and is still very much alive today, with numerous variations and editions. However, for serious board gamers who want a similar game that is deeper and more strategic, Dust is the answer. The main idea is the same as Risk: each player controls their own army of units, occupying different territories on a map of the earth, and the goal is to march your armies accross the continents and oceans, conquering opposing armies as you attempt world domination.
Dust takes the game several steps beyond Risk. Instead of one type of unit that represents an army as in Risk, Dust uses 5 different types of units, each with varying production costs and combat attributes: Tanks, Fighters, Submarines, Mechs, and Bombers. This change alone adds much strategy, where you decide which combinations of unit types you will build. The way the turns work is also quite different, where each player chooses a card from his hand for the turn, and this card dictates turn order, combat points, movement points, production points, and one Special Ability that may be used during the turn. The battles still come down to dice rolls like Risk, but Dust allows players to better ensure the outcome using tactical advantage and superior units, instead of simply using overwhelming force.
Dust offers two play modes - the Premium and Epic versions. It is suggested to learn the game with the shorter Premium version (which can still take 3 hours or more with 5-6 players), and graduate to the Epic version if you want an even more complex game that is a couple hours longer.
This is a terrific game to look at. The pieces are first-rate, and there over 800 of them! The board fits together like a jigsaw puzzle and is large and glossy. The cards are decent with great artwork - but one problem is that they identify the card's Special Ability by a picture instead of text, so you either must memorize the 11 abilities, or copy the descriptions in the rule book to use as player aids. The rules are pretty good, but be prepared to spend an hour or so reading them before trying to play the game. The box art is amazing, but the theme it suggests is nowhere to be found inside the game - once you start playing the game, the science fiction theme is all but forgotten.
It's definitely a fun game. Prior to playing Dust, our gaming group primarily played Euro strategy games like Agricola, Puerto Rico, El Grande, etc., but we had not played any wargames. We decided to give Dust a shot, and everyone loved it. The first time took almost 5 hours, but we are notoriously slow and we did play with the maximum 6 players. The next time we played, we got it under 4 hours, and now that we know how to play, I'm sure that subsequent games will be played in 3 hours or less. Dust is a great game, and a winner with our group!

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1938: A secret German expedition to Antarctica discovers the ultimate weapon an alien spacecraft with a living crewmember!

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Ad Astra Review

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(More customer reviews)As I remarked in my review of The Settlers of Catan, Ad Astra is an improved "clone" of that game. Although Settlers is a classic, Ad Astra is simply better. The game is more balanced, there is less player downtime while you wait for others to act, the play time is more consistent, and typically every player is in the running until very near the end.
Unlike most of Fantasy Flight's products, this game is indisputably in the German mold. Consequently, the rules are simple, and the game is relatively short to play. However, because it is in the "family" category, the strategic complexity is comparatively limited.
If you haven't tried a German-style game before, I'd recommend either Dominion or Rio Grande Games Carcassonne Big Box # 2 before Ad Astra. Still, Ad Astra is one of my favorite games of the genre.
If you are willing to tolerate a bit more complexity, "gamers" games like Agricola, Puerto Rico, and Mayfair Games Tigris and Euphrates - Double Scenario Edition are going to be more strategically engaging and generally a better value for your money.
Finally, if you prefer American-style games, I would strongly encourage you to look at Twilight Imperium 3rd Edition or A Game Of Thrones by the same publisher.

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In Ad Astra ("To the Stars"), you will guide one of the five factions of future humanity in its exploration of the galaxy. Wield powerful technology; reshape newly discovered planets to give a new home to man; and explore the mysterious relics of a long-lost alien civilization...Who will be able to create the greatest star-spanning civilization?Ad Astra is a game designed by Bruno Faidutti and Serge Laget, the team behind Mystery of the Abbey ((c) 2003 Days of Wonder).

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Chaos in the Old World Review

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(More customer reviews)This game will ruin your game collection. All your other games will gather dust because Chaos in the Old World (COW) will be the only game that 3-4 people will beg to play.
COW is a game that has beautiful parity with diverse options to victory. Each player plays an evil god bent on destroying the world. The rules are simple. You summon creatures, play chaos cards, fight by rolling dice, then calculate points. Whoever has the most points wins.
How's that fun?
COW's master stroke is that each god adds its own flavor for playing the game. For instance, if you play Khorne, you are the blood god and relish the chance to attack other players much as you can. You get chaos cards that aid your bloodlust. By killing figures, Khorne also gains upgraded abilities through the game. Other players tend to flee from his reign of terror. The three other gods, Tzeentch, Nurgle, and Slaanesh, are much more subtle. For instance, each respective god can teleport, overwhelm, or control other players' figures. No god will ever play the same as the other 3. By playing as your god should, you stand an excellent chance to win.
Never does COW feel like playing solitaire. Each player is constantly watching the moves of the others and whispering to their fellow players in the hopes of creating fleeting alliances. The tension built during the game is astonishing as games are won typically by thin margins.
Chaos in the Old World's tension, variation, art, theme, and balance will have you and your friends lusting for more plays than other games. I cannot recommend COW highly enough.


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In the Warhammer world, four Gods of Chaos battle for supremacy. Khorne, the Blood God, the Skulltaker, lusts for death and battle. Nurgle, the Plaguelord, the Father of Corruption, luxuriates in filth and disease.Tzeentch, the Changer of Ways, the Great Conspirator, plots the fate of the universe. Slaanesh, the Prince of Pleasure and Pain, the Lord of Temptations, lures even the most steadfast to his six deadly seductions.In the Chaos in the Old World board game, 3-4 players take on the roles of the malevolent Lords of Chaos. Each god's distinctive powers and legion of followers give the controlling player unique strengths and heretical abilities with which to corrupt and enslave the Old World. Yet, as the powers of Chaos seek domination by corruption and conquest, they must vie not only against each other, but also against the desperate denizens of the Old World who fight to banish the gods back to the maelstrom of the Realm of Chaos...for now.

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